*This content was translated by AI.View Original
An opponent that must be defeated to advance to the final. However, Japan's strength appears formidable as expected. Can Korea, backed into a corner, secure a victory in the match against Japan?
The Japanese national baseball team recorded a decisive 5-0 victory over Taiwan in the opening game of the 2026 Asia Pro Baseball Championship (APBC) held at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, on the 12th.
As the 'defending champions,' Japan took a promising first step toward a third consecutive title. For Korea, which absolutely needs a win, securing a victory in the match against Japan, starting at 7 p.m. that day, is essential. The game once again confirmed that Japan is no easy opponent.
It was a flawless performance. Masaki Tomoya (SoftBank), who hit 28 home runs this season in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Japan Series, started as the leadoff hitter and delivered an overwhelming performance with two home runs, three hits in four at-bats, one walk, and three RBIs.
Muneyama Rui (Rakuten), batting second, also hit a home run, contributing to the team's victory with three hits in five at-bats and one RBI. All three of his hits were extra-base hits (two doubles and one home run), showcasing tremendous power.
Japan took a 2-0 lead in the first inning with Masaki's leadoff home run and a run-producing hit by Nishikawa Miso (Chiba Lotte). In the top of the third inning, Masaki hit another solo home run to extend the lead to 3-0, securing an early advantage.
Starting pitcher Kanemaru Yumeto (Chunichi) delivered a dominant performance, pitching seven scoreless innings while allowing two hits and striking out five batters. Japan secured a perfect victory with Masaki's additional RBI hit in the seventh inning and Muneyama's go-ahead solo home run in the ninth.
Concerns grow for Korea. On the 12th, Korea suffered an 8-7 comeback loss to Australia as its pitching staff wavered. Despite starter Kim Min-jun (SSG) collapsing with four runs allowed without surviving the third inning, Korea managed a comeback by scoring six runs in the sixth inning. However, the bullpen faltered late in the game, allowing consecutive runs and resulting in a painful defeat.
In games featuring professional-level players, Korea has not beaten Japan since the 2015 Premier 12 semifinal (4-3 win). The team is stuck with one draw and an 11-game losing streak in 12 matches. Having confirmed through the opening game that the Japanese players competing in this tournament possess exceptional skills, the match against Japan appears to be anything but easy.
To escape the losing streak against Japan and challenge for the championship, the calculation is simple: Korea must win both the game against Japan and the game against Taiwan on the 14th. While it is possible to consider scenarios where Korea defeats Taiwan even after losing to Japan, resulting in a three-team tie with one win and two losses if Taiwan beats Australia that day, the simplest calculation is achieving a record of two wins and one loss.
The burden on Kim Jin-wook (Lotte) is immense. Attention is focused on whether he can become a new left-handed pitcher capable of dominating Japan, similar to past pitchers like Ku Dae-sung and Kim Kwang-hyun (SSG).
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*This content was translated by AI.View Original
